I'll Take Ya to the LollaShop...

Still haven’t scored your ticket to Lolla? Not to worry. Despite the sell out, there’s still hope.

LollaShop opens its doors tomorrow at Michigan and Van Buren (332 S Michigan Ave to be exact!) giving groveling Chicagoans one final chance to win free passes. That’s right…free. First drawing kicks off tomorrow, with another on the 30th and a final on the 2nd.

Couture Cocktail'ing 101

At-home bar must-haves. How to bartend like you’ve been doing it your entire life. How to impress any guy with your bar skills.

These are just a few things the Delve crew covered off on with cocktail couture expert Revae Schneider. She’s the founder of Femme du Coupe, a bespoke cocktail and bar styling company servicing those in Chicago looking to be on top of their entertaining game.

What makes her an expert in stylish cocktail’ing? Revae spent her earlier years as a personal shopper for the likes of Marc Jacobs and Neiman Marcus, as well as a bevy of personal clients for whom she styled their homes and closets. That, coupled with her knowledge of the libation scene from years of bartending, brought Revae to the forefront of the bespoke cocktail scene here in Chicago.

Delve: What are the must-haves for an in-home bar that’s not intimidating to bartending novices?
Revae: A good vodka is a must because it’s universally liked by guys and girls. I also recommend having a gin on hand, but one that’s not juniper forward. And of course, a good whiskey. In addition to those spirits, I rely on orange, and recently ginger, liqueurs quite often. As far as the extras (bitters, etc.) go, fresh citrus is a necessary ingredient in any specialty cocktail. (Side note: Revae taught us that fresh citrus goes bad within 4-5 hours, so ditch the bottles lemon juice. Who knew?).

Delve: What is one drink that every girl should know how to make?
Revae: A French 75 (gin, lemon juice, sugar and champagne)

Delve: What advice do you have for newbies at cocktail creation?
Revae: Stock your at-home bar by shopping for a specific cocktail. If you have a few ingredients that you know can work together to create a great cocktail, you’ll wow your guests. Creating one cocktail that’s a hit is better than having a fully stocked bar that you don’t know how to navigate.

Delve: What style trends are you loving for at-home bars?
Revae: I would definitely go with a bar cart for housing all spirits and bar tools. And I’m a huge fan of vintage glassware.

Planning an event? Revae even does house calls. We’re talking everything from bachelorette parties (hello, mixology class) to food pairings. Check out offerings from Femme du Coupe here. 


*Photo via Femme du Coupe

BHB Here to Stay - Sort Of.....

We’ve heard the back and forth about the fate of Bleeding Heart Bakery for a few months now and are excited to share (with a huge sigh of relief) that things have sort of been settled. Scott Weiner and Greg Mohr (the team behind Roots Handmade Pizza and the recently-opened Homestead) will take over full ownership, splitting from previous owners Vinny and Michelle Garcia. We’re not overly excited about the fact that the bakery and café will now be called West Town Bakery & Diner, but it’s a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.

Just please, please do not change the menu.

The café will close this weekend and open its doors back up under the new name on the 28th.

DIY Popsicles and Prosecco

We’ve seen a recent uptick in boozy frozen treats here in Chicago, but we’ve decided to take matters into our own hands. The Conrad New York recently introduced us to puree popsicles soaked in prosecco. In order to avoid the temptation of flying to-and-from NYC every time we’re craving one of said treats, we suggest making them in the comfort of your own home. All you have to do is place an all-fruit popsicle top down in a wine glass and pour prosecco over each. Easy as that! Too hot outside to keep the popsicles frozen? Not to worry, it makes for an amazing slushy of sorts as they melt.

Don’t want to go through the hassle of whipping them up yourself? Pop into one of the below for spiked frozen treats made to order:  

• Red Door (Bucktown) – Adult snow cones with flavors like the manhattan, old-fashioned and pear mojito.
• Dragon Ranch Moonshine & BBQ (River North) – “The Bushwacker” is a frozen moonshine concoction featuring the likes of two rums, Kahlua, coconut and lots and lots of chocolate.
• Boiler Room (Logan Square) – Three words: Jameson soft serve.

*Photo via The Conrad New York

Out with Il Mulino, in with Mr. Chow?

Our friends at Eater are reporting that the dimly lit, uber romantic spot Il Mulino is moving on out of the historic Biggs Mansion. We were bummed to hear the news... that is until these two new pieces of information trickled in:

1. Rumours are swirling that Mr. Chow (famed delicious, yet pricey Chinese joint already in Miami, LA, NYC and London) will be moving into the space following an extensive revamp

2. Il Mulino won't be leaving Chi-Town, rather just re-locating (new spot still TBD)

While all is just speculation at this point, you won't hear any complaints from us having both of these upscale eateries in Chicago.

RPM Steak?!

photo courtesy of Us Weekly

This week's US Weekly is reporting that not only are Bill & Guiliana getting a baby, but the RPM family is growing as well! Bill reveals in the article news of RPM's upcoming spin-off:

"We opened RPM Italian at the beginning of this year and we're having a lot of fun and really enjoying it, so we decided we'd open another one called RPM Steak. It's going to be in Chicago as well. It'll be about two blocks from RPM Italian, and then we're eyeing Vegas for the next RPM!"

No more details at this point aside from the fact that RPM Steak is currently under construction and is set to open the beginning of 2013. Another steakhouse in Chicago? Eh. More good eats/Bill & Guiliana? Yes!

Luxury Garage Sale Puts Down Roots

The fabulous consignment house Luxury Garage Sale is finally setting up shop in Old Town. Come late summer/early fall, the new store (popping up on Wells), will feature a carefully curated collection of their favorite ‘finds’ like Chanel handbags, vintage Balenciaga and more. Unlike other consignment shops around town, LGS will sell items right from within the store, so you don't have to go home and go through the hassle of bidding online.

The new store promises to carry unique finds that change on a daily basis, but this isn't your average vintage store with pieces that reek faintly of mothballs. The stylish owners (Lindsay and Brielle) guarantee that they won't carry anything in their stores that they wouldn't wear themselves. The biggest draw of the business is also one of LGS’s best kept secrets – many top boutiques sell their extra inventory on Luxury Garage Sale at up to 85% off (we’re talking Tucker silk blouses, with the tags on, for under $100).

So what kind of great deals/finds can you expect at the new LGS store? Below are some of the goods that the girls are currently lusting after (also available via their eBay store now).

Chanel Bag

Mark Heister Beaded Cape

Vintage Gold Necklaces

Hermes Alligator Birkin Bag

Christmas Comes Early: Neiman Marcus and Target Release News of Holiday Collabs

Our affinity for designer items for less is well known. Hence why we were beyond excited to hear about the latest news coming from our favorite retailers Target (pronounced Tarjaaay) and Neiman Marcus. The two mega-retailers have tapped into their lengthy list of designer contacts to announce that come this holiday season, they will be co-creating a collection of more than 50 gifts - from apparel and home décor to pet products - courtesy of CDFA designers. Mark your calendars because these one-of-a-kind items will hit all Target and Neiman Marcus stores (and online hubs too) on December 1.

Ranging in price from under $10 to $500, the collection of gifts boasts an impressive designer roster including: Alice + Olivia, Band of Outsiders, Brian Atwood, Derek Lam, Diane von Furstenberg, Jason Wu, Lela Rose, Marchesa, Marc Jacobs, Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler, Rag & Bone, Tory Burch and Tracy Reese, just to name a few!

All designers were given the freedom to create items within the categories they felt strongly about— meaning that some of the above designers will venture into new territory (fingers crossed for home décor from Proenza!). The stores aren't divulging much more at this time, but promise to show us the goods on Oct. 16. Until then, feel free to let your imagination run wild about what these amazing designers are cooking up for our holiday wish lists.

Cocktail'ing for a Cause

Join the Bright Pink team and a bevy of other do-good orgs tomorrow night at The Drinking Bird for “Pink for a Cure” – an event to bring awareness to breast and ovarian cancer. 100% of proceeds from the raffle and 50% of proceeds from the below drink menu with go directly will go directly to Be Bright Pink - so drink up friends.

New Rooftop Coming to UK Village

A new addition is coming soon to one of our favorite Chicago neighborhoods. Set to open mid-July, Homestead will make its home on the rooftop of Root’s Homemade Pizza in the Ukrainian Village, promising a literal interpretation of the ever-popular farm-to-table concept.

Greg Mohr and Scott Weiner, the guys behind Roots and Fifty/50, are opening the new spot along with Chef Formica – previously of Sunda. What we’re loving most? Every ingredient in every dish will make its way to your table straight from the 1,000 square foot organic rooftop farm located next door – boasting over 100 different vegetable, fruit, plant, and herb varietals. While seated on the 85-seat rooftop, diners have full view of the rooftop farm.

What’s on the menu? Chef Formico says he’s featuring around 15 sharable plates and three desserts at a time – with a constantly changing menu. Two sneak peeks include the Two Way Potato (sliced potato stuffed with local goat cheese mashed potatoes, served on top of lightly-dressed greens and topped with shaved summer truffles) and the Lamb Tartare (finely chopped Illinois-raised lamb filets mixed with bulgar, mint, parsley, scallion, tomato, cucumber, and cinnamon). 

Homestead will offer up a full liquor bar and an evolving cocktail menu starting out with eight specialty cocktails. Similar to Roots, the beer list will exclusively feature brew from the Midwest, and wines will all be organic.


Follow Homestead on Facebook for updates on the official opening.